The Role of Enjoyment and Epistemic Emotions in Middle School AR Learning: A Quasi-Experimental Field Study

Background

Enjoyment and epistemic emotions are essential in education as they drive learners to actively and persistently engage with learning material. Augmented Reality (hereinafter referred to as AR) is an emerging educational tool that offers unique opportunities for immersive learning experiences. By incorporating AR into the learning process, educators can create an immersive environment that potentially stimulates learners' enjoyment and facilitates a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Objectives

Especially for younger learners, however, there is a lack of research on how AR affects enjoyment, emotions and learning. Therefore, we examine the impact of enjoyment in learning with AR and further explore which role epistemic emotions play in this process.

Methods

A quasi-experimental field study collected data from N = 47 middle school students. Students were assigned to two conditions and either learned about the solar system with AR or with static images, both on a tablet. We collected data through pre- and post-tests to assess knowledge, as well as repeated measures of enjoyment and epistemic emotions during the learning process. Descriptive statistics, Bayesian t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyse differences between conditions and over time. A mediation analysis examined whether enjoyment mediated the relationship between AR use and learning gains.

Results and Conclusions

The results show that AR triggered learners' enjoyment and epistemic emotions. However, students in the control condition gained more knowledge than those in the AR condition. While AR significantly enhanced students' enjoyment, the mediation analysis indicated that enjoyment did not significantly mediate the relationship between AR use and learning gains. One possible explanation is that AR appears to have produced affective overload, whereas the control condition facilitated more productive engagement. However, our data suggest a more complex relationship that requires further investigation.

Implications

These findings provide insights into the impact of immersive technology on student learning in the context of authentic school activities with younger learners. An exciting avenue for future research is to focus more on the relationship between affective and cognitive activation during learning with immersive technology. Our findings partially support some concerns for educational practice that immersive media may undermine robust learning activities. Adaptation for effective use seems essential here and is prompted by our findings.